In a Heartbeat
by jasper03
Summary: Lots of things happen in a heartbeat. A blink. A breath. In just one heartbeat life can change. Someone hunts the brothers from the shadows and another sacrifices themself. Perhaps the hunter succeeded in another way by hitting them where it hurts most...
1. Gone Baby, Gone

**_SUPER IMPORTANT BUT I DUNNO WHY_: This was going to be my birthday fic I was going to post yesterday, but my computer didn't agree so "Pain Fuels the Fires of Hell" was my birthday fic. Well I call a do over 'cause when I'm happily married to Jensen Ackles or Jared Padalecki with our '67 Chevy Impala sitting in the front drive where our beautiful children run around cheerfully-(hey, I can dream) I want to remember this was the fic I posted for my 19th Birthday.**

**While we are sittin' around chatting, may I suggest you read "Daytime TV Sucks and Snuggle Bears are Evil"? 'Cause I admit, I'm stumped. And while you are mindlessly following my orders ('cause I know some of you guys know me and simply adore me and would do anything I ask...maybe) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check out "So Not Into Psychics" and give feedback there as well. I'm just stumped 'cause I dunno what y'all want to read...**

**As always, please review. I love reviews! **

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In a Heartbeat

By: jasper03

_Baby felt a presence near her and her oil ran cold. She knew immediately it wasn't one of her boys. They had a rather flawless, graceful way about them; the footsteps approaching were far from graceful. For a moment Baby was afraid someone had finally come to steal her. She'd been car napped twice before. One time by a shape shifter who impersonated her daddy and the other time by an evil lady named Bela. Truly, she wasn't sure Bela was evil, but Daddy and Sammy didn't like her. A nice young man named Andy had borrowed her, her family liked him and so did she. He had been very gentle with her. _

_This person was not like any of those people. In fact, she was sure it wasn't human at all._

_Using her rear-view mirrors, Baby examined her stalker. All she could make out was a figure in draping dark clothing. It was apparent what the figure was trying to do now. It was there to harm her boys. There to harm the last of her family and she was a pawn in the evil scheme. The worst part was she was powerless to stop it._

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Sam and Dean had gotten into the motel at three in the morning and they decided to leave their bags in the Impala, taking some new clothes out because the clothes they were wearing were shot. The brothers were tired and cold and reeked of monster blood. After showers and a good eight hours of sleep, they would be back on the road.

"Hey Dean, wanna have the first shower?"

"Nah, go ahead Sammy. You got the real shit end of the job this time."

"You sure?"

"Sammy, you reek and your covered in God knows what. Go get cleaned up." Dean was dead dog-tired, but if he had to smell Sam any longer, he was going to retch.

"Last chance Dean."

"Sam! Now!" Dean watched his little brother enter the bathroom with his clean boxers and t-shirt shutting the door behind him. I swear he is never going to grow up. He smiled to himself as he thought maybe that is how he wanted it to be. Then he could take care of Sam until they kicked off in old age.

Twenty minutes later Sam popped out of the bathroom toweling his hair. "There's some warm water left Dean."

Dean nodded thankful Sam no longer smelled like death. Within a half hour, both brothers were sound asleep.

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_Why? Why would someone do this to me? To us? I can't let this happen._

_Baby felt violated and sick knowing she was supposed to hurt her boys. She had heard the sick things the cloaked figure had said as he worked. He had said finally the Winchesters would know learn their lesson. Finally, they would know what it was to be hunted, if they survived that is. She had heard his maniacal laugh as he considered the idea of the men not surviving. _

_Windshield wiper fluid leaked down her body until her wiper fluid container was dry. She had known the boys their entire lives and more than half of John's. They would always be the precious children that snuggled close in the backseat to sleep as their father drove through the night. Dean learning how to drive, how gentle he was and so understanding of her needs and inner workings. The scared shitless Sam who had his first driving experience at fifth teen with his scared lifeless father and older brother. Sammy had straightened out with Dean's guidance. _

_All she had were her boys now. Mom had died so many years ago and John was dead now too. Uncle Bobby was great, but not always around. She was the only one around to be sure her boys got to the hospital and to their hunts. Sam and Dean were her everything. _

_Baby could not let her family suffer. She had to save them._

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Early the next morning, both Winchester's awoke to an eerie feeling. They sat straight up in their beds and found eye contact with each other. Something was not right, not right at all.

"Sam do you-?" Dean flipped his blankets back not even waiting for his brother's answer.

The younger man nodded. He felt it too. Sam knew in his gut something was very wrong. Both darted from their beds shrugging on jeans and shoes. The brothers sprinted out the door unsure of what they would find outside.

The men stopped running upon finding nothing out of the ordinary in the parking lot. They peered around the blacktop, trying to find the source of their uneasy feelings. Something just didn't sit right.

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_Baby could see her boys coming towards her. Dean had his keys in his hands. She could not let them in. With them drawing ever closer. Baby knew what she had to do and she had to do it quick. With everything she had in her, she tried to turn her own ignition. She wasn't supposed to be able to, but after everything she and her family had seen and done, it wouldn't hurt to try. _

_Come on, come on, come on! It took all her will and she heard the familiar click and turn. _

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At the far end of the parking lot the boys saw the explosion. Heard it. Felt it. The explosion had just taken away everything they ever knew.

Dean faltered to his knees. Sam tried to catch him, but felt himself falling as well. Both brothers sunk low to the ground holding on to each other, protecting one another from debris.

When the bits of Impala stopped falling each sat back on their haunches still leaning into each other. They had tears in their eyes as they came to the realization that they had just lost everything but the clothes on their bodies and each other.

They heard sirens coming from the distance and Sam snapped to. "Dean, hey. We gotta go. When the cops find out what was in the trunk, we'd better be the Hell outta dodge."

Dean was stuck in a stupor. Had that really just happened? Did he really just see one of his prized possessions get blown up? What if Sam had been in the car? Dean didn't even want to think about a dead Sammy.

"Come on big brother." Sam hoisted Dean up and helped him away from the explosion. Sam didn't want to leave her. She had been his home his whole life. The only constant home anyway. But if they weren't gone really quickly, they'd have a lot of things to answer for.

"Sammy." Dean's voice broke. "Did-did she …" Tears were now streaming down Dean's face. He didn't care. Sam felt the same way.

"Yeah." Sam answered quietly. He wiped his own tears away and pulled his brother by his wrist. There was only one place to go now.

**Oh yes I know! What kind of crazy chick wants to remember this when she's married to an incredible hunk of a man who plays Dean Winchester on TV? I do. I wanted to blow up the Impala so bad 'cause I just knew it'd do major damage to both of them. I hit them where it hurt most...home. NO WORRIES! I WILL FIX HER...if I get reviews that is....*Smiles Evilly* Manipulative I know!**


	2. Home For A Home

**I know this is kinda short, but I just didn't have to much heart in it when I found out that Kim Manners (Supernatural Director/Producer) passed on January 25. My sister and I are truly devastated and our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Kim Manners and the cast of Supernatural. **

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Home for a Home

Bobby had been drying dishes when he looked out his kitchen window. John's sons-now his boys-were walking up his dirt pathway. What had they done with the Impala now? Bobby stopped what he was doing and went to open the front door.

"Hey boys. How are y-" Bobby stopped when he caught a good look at the guys. Their hair was mussed, eyes red, faces tear-stained and unshaven. Their clothes were filthy. Frankly they looked like they just got off a deserted island with only their lives.

Bobby didn't know what was playing at the moment but rushed the boys into the house. Each stood, clearly unsure as to whether they should sit or stand.

"Sit down boys before you fall down." Bobby ordered.

They knew they looked like shit and probably smelled like it too. Reluctantly they sat on the edge of the couch trying to keep off of it as much as possible.

"Tell me." It was an order, but it was etched in worry.

Sam looked to Dean, whose eyes were cast to the floor since they entered the door. He hadn't said a single thing since they left the explosion site. Truth be told, Sam was worried about Dean. His brother could usually always find something to chatter on about even in the worst situations. A silent Dean was a scary one.

"We…we saw…she blew up." It was all Sam could manage. He didn't even know where to begin on this one.

Bobby cocked an eye-brow. He wondered if Sam was talking about the Impala. If that was the case, he could see why the kids were devastated. "She? The Impala?"

Sam nodded. Both Sam and Bobby looked to Dean and noticed tears pricking at his eyes. He turned away as if they wouldn't notice.

"You boys alright?" It really was a stupid question to ask. The boys grew up in the backseat of that car. It was Dean's prized possession given to him by his father. Bobby could think of only one thing Dean treasured more and he was sitting next to him.

A small sniffle could be heard from the older Winchester boy. Sam wrapped an arm around Dean's shoulder. Dean looked to his brother, completely lost. It broke Bobby's heart.

"You boys need a place to stay?"

"It's all right Bobby, we'll find somewhere." Answered the youngest. He wouldn't want to impose on Bobby and he knew Dean wouldn't want to either. They didn't want Bobby to get tired of them and consider them a burden. Many people in their lives left them and Sam didn't know what he and Dean would do if they were abandoned by Bobby.

Bobby just had to look at the forlorn faces of his boys and he knew there was nowhere else they could stay.

That settled it. His boys were staying and that was that. "I'll put new sheets on your beds upstairs. There's pizza in the fridge. You know where the plates are and if I find out you boys drank the whole six pack I just bought, your backsides will be tanned."

Bobby left the room and went to clean up the room his boys usually stayed in. By the looks of it, they would be they long enough to appreciate the clean sheets.

Sam rubbed comforting circles on Dean's back. Truly, he didn't know if they were to comfort Dean or himself.

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**R.I.P. Kim Manners**


	3. Do You Trust Me?

**hey y'all! so sorry this took so long to update. computer issues. found a new job. oh- and the fact that i was completely stumped. hope you like!**

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Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Coulda had them all dead. Shoulda killed them. Woulda been dead. Why are they alive? Monstrous hunters. They just don't die easily do they? No. Another course of action must be taken.

The being paced angrily through the forest where it currently took up residence. He had done everything right. Followed all directions. There was no way the car could have blown on its own. It was absolutely impossible, then again, he was alive. Impossible happens.

Death happened everyday, all day, all around the clock. Of all the deaths, the murders, what was most amusing to him? He really liked blowing things up, but that proved more difficult. If he didn't hurry, he would run out of time and would miss the little window he had reserved so he could have his revenge.

Something. Something. Something. But what might the something be? Nothing quick. No. That luxury was taken when they did not did the first time. It must be painful. Slow. This time they must not survive.

* * *

"Dean, you are going to have to talk sometime. Come on man, I usually can't get you to shut up!" For a whole week Dean had ghosted around the house, never saying a word to anyone. He never ventured into the salvage yard and hardly ate. Sam couldn't take it any longer. His brother's silence was going to drive him over the edge.

Dean just sighed. He rolled on his bed from his back to his belly and turned his head toward the wall. Maybe Sammy would get the point. He couldn't deal with anything or anyone right now. The car was the last thing he had from his parents. Okay, so he had Sam, but that wasn't the point.

Sam knew whining was only supposed to used as a last resort. He didn't have a choice. "Dean please."

Dean cringed at his little brother's whiny voice and he just knew that if he rolled over he'd see the puppy dog eyes that always accompany it. Fine. He surrendered. "What do you want me to say Sammy?"

"Anything…Just please talk to me." Sam was quite obviously thrilled out of his mind to hear his big brother's deep voice. He felt comforted by the gruffness of it just because it was Dean's voice. The very voice he loved to hear when Dean would sit in the car and shoot the shit, the voice that called his name, the only voice he'd ever known to have worry and rage and love in it at the same time.

Dean flopped over and sat up in the bed. He leaned back against the headboard and waited for Sam to make his way across the room. His little brother sat next to him and leaned back against the headboard as well like they used to when they were younger. "Sam my car…"

Sam cut in, he just had to make something clear. "Our home."

Dean looked up questioningly. Home? They hadn't really had a home since he was four and Sam was still a baby.

Come on man, don't tell me I'm the only one that thought like this. "You're not the only one who loved that car. We grew up in the back seat of the Impala."

Dean sat quietly staring at a crack in the wall he and his brother had put there years ago.

He could feel hot tears gathering in his eyes, threatening to spill over. "This isn't right."

Sam let his leg scoot closer to his brother's and nudged Dean's foot with his own. "I know its not. We'll get through this though."

The older man turned to his younger sibling and shook his head. "Not that Sam. This is wrong like supernatural wrong."

What?! This was unfortunate, but to be pre-meditated? Dean must be over-reacting. Has to be. "Dean, you're trying to make pansies into devils."

I know what I'm talking about. Dean shook his head in disagreement. "I'm telling you Sam. I can feel it in my bones."

"Dean…" He really thought Dean was progressing with talking to him. That maybe he was accepting the loss and moving on. Now Dean tells him something completely unreasonable. It broke Sam's heart to see his big brother this way.

"Sammy, please believe me. I'm right on this. I know it."

Sam looked into his brother's hazel eyes and saw the silent pleading. He just nodded.

Dean was a damn good hunter and was usually right when he had a feeling. He had a knack for sensing impending dangers. It had to be a big brother thing.

"I believe you Dean."

"Really?" Pleading and needing.

Sam put a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Yeah. I trust you."

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**So, whaddya say? leave a review? let me know what you want to see next! oh- and if you happen to find your way over to some of my other fics, maybe you could- i dunno... let me know what you want to see on those too. i can't give you what you want if you don't tell me. :) **


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